Critic’s Rating: 4.4 / 5.0
4.4
High school reunions bring back petty grievances and rivalries as much as they rekindle lost romances and friendships.
Featuring Gibson’s 50th reunion during Murder in a Small Town Season 1 Episode 2 explored many storylines, including the case-of-the-week.
However, it also expanded on Karl and Cassandra’s romance and developed the camaraderie between the newbies on the police force.
A Love Triangle Imploded At the Wrong Time
When someone snapped photos of Kayla (Malaika Hennie-Hamadi) and Bobby (Greyston Holt) kissing, that was a red flag.
Sneaking around never works, and her husband Ivan (Nathan Witte) confronted her at Molly’s with the photo, so she couldn’t even lie out of it.
The confrontation between the men seemed more heated than usual. Granted, most men are angry if they learn their wives cheat, but the words and punches seemed personal.
It got violent quickly, with Molly’s customers so worried that Cassandra contacted Carl.
Affairs, love triangles, and jealousy often make people blurt out things in anger, but when they should have used caution since Det. Alberg and several witnesses were nearby.
Naturally, no one expected that one of them would die later that night.
A Murder Brought Secrets to the Forefront
Three of Cassandra’s former classmates found Bobby’s dead body by the marina during the marina. Talk about a welcoming surprise.
Ivan was the initial suspect because of the earlier altercation, especially when Det. Alberg learned that Bobby and Kayla were high school sweethearts before Kayla and Ivan were married.
That was a real mess, considering that Ivan and Bobby had been best friends since they were kids. However, you weaved it; dating your best friend’s girl was messed up.
When Ivan swore he didn’t kill Bobby, things became complicated. His story didn’t match his brother Sam’s, and a race began to determine which brother lied.
Bobby had many enemies, but they returned to Sam, thanks to Gibson’s eyes and ears. Sam had money problems and had been using Bobby to help run his cocaine business since he knew him and knew he was trouble.
Kayla was instrumental in tracking down Sam since she had Ivan’s voicemail password and knew Sam would turn to his brother when he turned desperate.
No one knew how desperate Sam was, though, that he’d try to shoot his brother if he didn’t play along with the plan. Family loyalty only goes so far.
So does love. Even though Kayla proved Ivan was innocent and tried to save his life, she and Ivan were still through. He could only be second best for so long.
Did Karl and Cassandra Rush Their Relationship?
I love Karl and Cassandra’s relationship. It’s the best part of the show. It’s sexy, dramatic, and angsty.
However, it seemed like they missed a few beats, from the hopeful reconciliation at the end of Murder in a Small Town Season 1 Episode 1 to their sexy time with wine.
Cassandra seems like the girl next door. In many ways, she seems like the adult version of Smallville’s Lana Lang — popular and smart, the type that would organize a high school reunion.
Karl was the dark, brooding type, though it was impressive he agreed to escort her to the dance.
Making their relationship official seemed a bit much. They had only been dating a few weeks, maybe a little longer, if there had been a time jump since “Fall From Grace” covered the case from book four of the series.
While she seemed excited to be dating, Cassandra also worried that she would soon be known as only the police chief’s girlfriend and lose her identity. She had been independent for so long, which was a legitimate concern, but she was often his eyes and ears on cases.
They were so ravishing at the dance that it looked like they relived the best part of prom.
Unfortunately, dating a cop isn’t easy, and Karl had to finish solving the case in the middle of the dance.
They may have rushed into things too quickly until they learned how to mix their professional and personal lives. Their relationship needs more substance besides being sexy and adorable. I want to learn more about their families.
The Newbies Formed a Fun Friendship
Murder in a Small Town, Season 1 Episode 2, allowed the newbies, especially Isabella, to shine. Like Cassandra, she was a local girl excited about the reunion.
Isabella knew everyone in town and wanted to reconnect with her old high school crush, but she was afraid to attend the reunion alone.
Seeing Edwina offer to be her wingman was entertaining, especially when she had to work the case, and Andy Kendrick had to escort Isabella to the dance instead.
The two became friends as he complimented her on her attire and encouraged her to approach her crush. Isabella learned her crush was more like an ogre now, but this witty arc was worth seeing the newbies’ personalities evolve.
Is Murder in a Small Town’s Format Working?
Murder in a Small Town generally focuses on a single novel in each episode, meaning it’s a case of the week. Unlike some other procedurals, most mysteries don’t carry over.
This allowed the series to bring on many different Canadian actors as guest stars and focus more on developing the lead cast, especially Karl and Cassandra.
At times, the series feels like a mini-movie each week, and I would prefer if the cases had longer to develop and breathe, but I’m still enjoying it.
The TV version of “Fall From Grace” moved faster and was more interesting than the book. I rarely admit that, so they are doing something right. Are you enjoying Murder in a Small Town, TV Fanatics? Do you ship Karl and Cassandra?
We would love to hear your thoughts about the show, so let us know in the comments.